Elevating conveyer



J. F. CONNOLLY ELEVATING CONVEYER Filed June 18, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 23, 1924.

J. F. CONNOLLY ELEVATING CONVEYER Filed June 18, 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH F. CONNOLLY, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T CLIMAX CONVEYOR CORPORATION, OF- JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Application filed June 18, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. CoNNoLLY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of East Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elevating Conveyers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to elevating convey- "1o ers such as are used for conveying material from one point to another point at a higher level. While my invention is capable of use in many ways and in connection with many different materials, it is especially adapted for loading coal onto wagons from a storage'pile or bin and I will, for the purpose of illustration, so show and describe my invention. The objects of my invention are to so construct an elevating conveyer that it will be positively driven, capable of adjustment to different angular positions and present various features of structure and operation which tend to eflicient'service. These objects I accomplish in the manner hereinafter set forth, references being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an elevating conveyer constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of the same;

F i 3 is a transverse sectional view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1;

of the construction and illustratlng the action of a part thereof, and

F i 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 55, Fig. 1.

The structure consists primarily of opposite side frames, each comprising an upper angle bar 1 and a lower angle bar 2 which are united, at suitable intervals, by plates 4 secured to said bars.

At the forward, or receiving, end of the structure, the upper and lower bars of each side frame have secured to them a substantially triangular nose plate 5, and the two nose plates are united by a transverse feed plate 6 which extends across the structure from one side frame to the other. The two frames are also united by means of transverse members 7 which extend between pairs of corresponding side plates 4 and which Fig. 4 is a side elevation of one portion ELEVATING convnvna.

Serial No. 478,549.

are, preferably, integral with such side plates, as shown in Fig. 3.

Extending across the structure between the members 7 and secured to the opposite lower frame bars 2, are reversely inclined shields 8, the purpose of which will be later described.

Extending transversely across the structure, and having their bearings in the opposite upper frame bars 1, are a series of rollers 9, see Fig. 2, which furnish a support for the upper run of an endless belt conveyer 10 which is driven by means of a driving roller 11 over which it passes at one end of its run. At the other end of its run the belt 10 passes over a pair of guide rollers 12 which have their hearings in the opposite nose plates 5, the forward one of these two guide rollers being positioned beneath the transverse feed plate 6. The lower run of the endless belt conveyer 10 passes beneath the transverse uniting members 7 and also beneath the reversely inclined shields 8.

In operation, the nose of the structure is plunged into a pile of coal so that coal will fall over the inner edge of the feed plate 6 onto the upper run of the belt 10 which carries it up and drops it, at the upper end of its run, into a waiting wagon. The belt 10 is preferably provided with a series of transverse vanes or flights 13 which aid in maintaining the coal in position upon the belt while it is being conveyed.

To prevent-lateral movement upon, and loss of coal from, the belt 10, the upper bars 1 have secured to them a pair of longitudinal/ guide plates 14, see Fig. 3, the lower edges of which are disposed adjacent the belt 10. These laterally retain the coal upon the belt. Any coal or dust which should pass under the plates 14 and fall from the belt will be received upon the shield 8 which will discharge it to one side or the other, preventing it from falling into any mechanism which it might, in time, clog.

Each side frame is provided with a stand ard 15 and upon these standards is secured a platform 16 upon which a driving motor 17 is mounted. The manner in which this driving motor is connected to the driving roller 11 which moves the belt 10 will now be described.

The shaft 18 of the motor 17 is provided with a worm 19 which meshes with a worm wheel 20 on a shaft 21 mounted in bearings secured to a plate 22 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 18. The opposite end of the shaft 21 is mounted in bearings secured to a similar plate 23 pivotally mounted upon the shaft 24 of the belt driving roller 11. This end of the shaft 21 has secured to it a worm 25 which meshes with a worm wheel 26 on the shaft 24. Through the medium of this worm and shaft mechanism a positive drive of the belt driving roller 11 is at all times assured.

The gears 19 and 20 and the gears 25 and 26 will preferably be equipped with housing guards and lubricating devices, but, for purposes of clarity, these features are omitted from the drawings.

The opposite ends of the shaft 24 are mounted in blocks 27 slidably mounted between the upper and lower barsl and 2 of each side frame and each of such blocks 27 is provided with a projecting screw stem 28 which passes through an opening in a lug 29 and is engaged by a nut 30. Tightening or loosening of the nuts 30 will cause adjustment in position of the blocks 27 with consequent adjustment of the roller 11. If desired, four point handles may be substituted for the nuts 30, in which case their manipulation will be by hand and the necessity of utilizing a wrench will be dispensed with. By this means proper tension is maintained upon the belt 10 and any slackness in the same may be taken up. Whenever the blocks 27 are adjusted the distance between the roller shaft 24 and the motor shaft 18 is changed and it is to compensate for this change that the bearings of the shaft 21 are fixed upon the pivotally mounted plates '22 and 26. Each time the blocks 27 are adjusted a corresponding adjustment' ofthe plate 20 insures proper meshing of the two sets of worms and worm wheels. The plate 22 is preferably provided with an arcuate slot 31 embracing a screw stud 32 which projects outwardly from aplate 33 fixed to a standard 15. By means of a nut on the screw stud 32 the plate 22 may be secured in any position to which it maybe adjusted. At this point, also, a four point handle may be employed rather than a nut.

At times it will be desired to vary the inclination of'the structure in order to adapt it for use in loading wa o'ns of different sizes and the manner in whic this is effected will now be described.-

Projecting from the pair of opposite forward plates 4 are trunnions 34 and similarly projecting from a pair of opposite intermediate plates 4 are trunnions 35. The forward trunnions have pivotally mounted upon them blocks 36 each of which engages the lower member of a right angled supporting brace 37 the upper end of which 15 ening-rol gaged by a similar block 38 pivotally mounted upon a trunnion 35. The upper member of each supporting brace 37 is engaged by a block 39 pivotally mounted, to the'axle 40. of a pair of supporting wheels 41 and is slidable through such b1ock.. Secured to the under faces of the lower bars 2 of the side frames is a transverse shaft 42 and pivoted upon this shaftis a depending screw stem 43. A similar screw stem 44 projects up wardly from the axle 40 of the wheels 41 and the ends of thesescrew stems are engaged by a common nut 45 which is preferably provided with a hand wheel 46 by means of which it may be turned. Inasmuch as one.

of these screw stems has a right hand thread while the other has a left hand thread rotae tion of the nut 45 will either draw both stems.

inwardly or project them outwardly, thereby decreasing or increasing the distance bedegree of inclination of the conveyer by' This, of course, elevates the raising or lowering the rear end of the struc-v turein respect to the supporting truck. As

the rear end is raised or lowered the blocks 36and 38 rock upon the trunnions 34 and 35 and the upper members of the braces 37 slide through the blocks 39. Y

To prevent contact of the belt 10 with'the ground as it passes over-the rollers 12 the bottom of .the nose of the structure is closed by means of a plate 47 which may be fixed to the opposite nose plates 5 but which is preferably hinged at its forward edge to the forward edge of the feed plate 6'. With the latter construction, any dirt or dust which may collect between the plates 6 and 47 may readily be discharged by elevating the nose of the structure, as shown. in Fig.

'4. The plate 47 will then swing free and any material lodged upon it will fall off.

In Fig. 5 is shown the preferred constructionofzthe'rollers 12. Each of these rollers is cored and its opposite ends have their bearings upon pins 487 projecting inwardly from the plates 5. The central space 49 within each roller between the inner ends of the supporting pins 48 may be filled with grease so that a thorough lubrication of the rollers will be insured and jamming of the same thereby prevented.

I claim:

1. The combination, in an elevating apparatus,- of an endless conveyer and rollers over which the same runs, one of which is a,-

drivin -roller, means for adjusting the drivler bodily for the purpose oftightening the endless conveyer, a motor, a positive driving mechanism between the shaft of the motor and the shaft of the aforesaid driving-roller, means being provided whereby when the driving-roller is bodily adjusted said roller-driving mechanism will be automatically adjusted to compensate for the difference in distance between the shaft of the driving-roller and the shaft of the motor.

2. The combination, in an elevating conveyer, of a frame, a guide roller mounted thereon, a driving roller adjustably mounted thereon, an endless conveyer passing over said rollers, a motor, adjustable driving connection between said driving roller and said motor, means for adjusting said driving roller, and means for correspondingly adjusting said driving connection.

3. The combination, in an elevating conveyer, of a frame, an endless conveyer caran endless conveyer and means for driving the conveyer, means for tiltably supporting said frame embodying a pair of angle-bars having forwardly-extendlng members attached to the frame and upstanding members likewise attached to the frame, a slidable block on each upstanding member, an axle journaled in these blocks and carrying a pair of supporting wheels, a screw-threaded rod pivotally attached to said axle, another companion screw-threaded rod pivotally attached to the frame at a point to the rear of the axle, these rods being right and left threaded respectively, and a tubular nut connecting the free ends of these threaded rods, for the purpose set forth.

5. In an elevating apparatus, an endless conveyer and means for driving the same, a frame for the endless conveyer, a supporting and transporting means for said frame embodying a pair of upright members atried thereby, a truck upon which said frame? tached to the frame, sliding blocks on these is adjustably mounted, a pair of reversely threaded screw stems, one pivotally secured to said frame and the other pivotally secured to the-axle of said truck, and a rotatable nut engaging the free ends of said stems whereby the angular relation between said frame and said truck may be adjusted.

4. The combination, in a, portable elevating apparatus, of a conveyer-frame carrying upright members, an axle pivotally journaled in these blocks, and adjustable screw means pivotally connecting the axle to the frame at a point to the rear of the axle, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOSEPH F. CONN OLLY. 

